The Volta Regional Director of Fisheries and Aqua Culture Development, Matthew Oyih, appeared before the Ho Circuit Court yesterday, charged with defilement.

He pleaded not guilty.

The court, presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essampong, remanded him in prison custody to appear again on April 10.

The court heard that Oyih’s victim was a 14-year-old JHS pupil.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, A. A. Ahor, in-charge of Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), Volta Region, who presented the facts, that somet ime last year, the accused, 51, and resident of Ho, met the girl in town and proposed love to her.

Since then,Oyih kept inviting her to his house, “for sex, after which he gave her money”.

According to the prosecution, in February this year, the girl went to school and returned home late.

When she was questioned by her family, she replied she went to Oyih’s house.

The court heard that this March, the girl missed her menstrual period and the accused who thought that she was pregnant invited her home and gave her a pack of medications with the inscription, “Cytotech”.

He then asked her to swallow two of the tablets, and insert the other two into her private part to terminate the pregnancy.

The girl swallowed the two tablets in the presence of the accused and went home with the remaining two, which she showed to a member of her family.

On March 23, this year, a report was made to DOVVSU, Ho, by a member of the girl’s family and Oyih was arrested.

In his caution statement, Oyih is said to have denied the offence, but said that the girl was his friend.

The girl’s evidence was later heard in the judge’s chamber at the request of the prosecution.